AFSA’s latest publication was launched amid the fanfare of the 15th Cultural Biodiversity Week in Togo with 120 young people from all over Africa. The Cultural Biodiversity Week, which celebrates traditional knowledge as the best gateway to community based adaptation and livelihood security, was attended by celebrities including Afrobeat superstar King Mensah and representatives from the Togolese Prime Minister’s Office.

The new AFSA publication ‘Know Agroecology’ is a media guide for African journalists and communicators to better understand and share information about agroecology and food sovereignty. In developing this guide, AFSA recognizes that communication is one of the key ingredients for influencing policy, both by agroecology communicators and journalists. The process of developing the guide, therefore, involved a workshop where 25 journalists and 15 agroecology communicators from different parts of the continent participated and shared views.

Organized by AFSA member organization JVE (Young Volunteers for the Environment), the launch ceremony also congratulated the African journalists who took part in a two-day training on agroecology.

“Agroecology, practiced by so many African food producers, is dynamic and constantly evolving. African farmers have been farming for thousands of years and have a rich and deep knowledge of food systems. Journalists must collect information on the dynamics of these food systems and educate African and global society about the diversity and richness of food,” said Million Belay, AFSA’s Coordinator, “This media guide is meant to rally to action communicators, journalists and media houses in Africa to take a closer look into their role and functions in relation to agroecology.”

Written by practicing African journalists, the guide focuses on critical issues of Agroecology such as food and seed sovereignty, nutrition, biodiversity, industrialized agriculture, threats to livelihoods, and land rights, and equips the reader with tools of practice in reporting and communicating on Agroecology. The guidebook also gives tips on basic media reporting, and provides useful tools for communicators.